Experience-based Brain and Biological Development

A mounting body of evidence suggests that a person’s earliest experiences play a pivotal role in mental and physical health and adaptive development throughout life. CIFAR researchers explore how, when and under what circumstances early environmental factors become “biologically embedded,” affecting neural, endocrine and immune systems at the molecular level.
For example, recent studies have shown that socioeconomic status is linked to coping skills, resilience, immune competence, neurodevelopment, academic achievement, and other critical capacities.

Launched in 2003, Experience-based Brain and Biological Development capitalizes on new techniques for measuring physiological changes, as well as a new abundance of knowledge in genetics, epigenetics, and neuroscience. CIFAR has assembled a team of scientists with expertise in neurobiology, molecular genetics, epidemiology, developmental sciences, pediatrics and psychology.

Members of the program study the genomes of many social animals, including fruit flies, birds, fish, bees and primates to better understand gene-environment interactions in human beings. In its second five-year term, the program's breadth and interdisciplinarity has strongly influenced the research of its members. Many report transformative shifts in their thinking as a result of their involvement with the program.

CIFAR researchers say the nature-versus-nurture debate is dead. Real solutions come from studying interactions between the two.

This work opens the possibility of understanding well-documented population differences in health, learning and behaviour later in life. Read more